//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Slumberland Once More // Story: Little Nemo: Adventures In Equestria // by Mak Manto //------------------------------// Aboard the Dirigible Looking out from above, he saw New York disappear in a second as they flew up. Feeling the wind blowing on his skin, he sighed happily. He was returning back to where, pretty much, his life had started. Hearing one of the doors open, he saw Bon Bon coming out, holding a cup of hot cocoa. As she stood next to Nemo, she smiled as the stars shined brightly above them. "It always made me happy to know that there was hope out there. Even before you defeated the Nightmare King, I always had this feeling that somewhere there was a guardian watching us, ready to protect us if we needed help. I'll be honest, when I first saw you, I didn't honestly expect for you to be that person, but you're a hero, Nemo." "Then why don't I feel like one? Why do I feel like I'm wasting my life with everything I do? You and the professor come to tell me that Slumberland needs me once more, but nobody has talked to me from there in five years. Do you know how long I tried to convince myself I hadn't gone crazy?" Sipping her drink slowly, she couldn't look at Nemo in the face. "Nemo, Slumberland changed while you were gone. Without the threat of the Nightmare King being over us, we could do so many things that were never available. The people of Slumberland prospered without the worry of threat from nightmares coming at us." Nemo nodded silently, putting his head on his elbows. He wondered how Flip and Flap were doing. Knowing Flip, he was probably still up to his old antics, causing some mayhem for fun. The Boomps seemed, at least when he was leaving, well adjusted in their roles in Slumberland, and everyone had accepted them in without any problems. King Morpheus was most likely still his childish self, having a bit of fun whenever he could get away from his royal duties. And then there was Camille... He felt another pang in his heart as he thought about her. Was she still the same? She had been so much fun, ready to take a fight head on and never afraid to face danger. And, of course, she was beautiful... Blushing, Nemo turned away so that Bon Bon wouldn't see. Coming back to hold Camille had been a wish of his for so long now. He had missed her desperately. He had never told anyone but the moment they had kissed, fireworks had exploded inside of him, cementing his love. "Crystal Cloud dead ahead!" Hearing the Captain's voice from the deck above, he saw the mystical cloud that protected Slumberland from the nightmares. Turning to Bon Bon, a question rose up that seemed strange to the boy. "If the Nightmare King is gone, why is the cloud still here?" Bon Bon shook her head. "Nightmares are still here, Nemo. Of course they would never come anywhere near Slumberland now that they're King is dead, seeing they're afraid of King Morpheus and the royal scepter, but we kept it to be safe, but no nightmare has yet bothered us since you defeated that monstrosity. We're not so sure of what the nightmares are up to. No one has gone to Nightmare Land after the Castle was destroyed." As they passed through the crystal fog, Nemo felt a rise of excitement within him as he knew he was about to return to his second home, and the moment they passed, his mouth fell agape at what he saw. Slumberland had indeed changed... It was far larger and more majestic than the last time he had been here. Buildings gleamed in the morning sun as hundreds of people in balloons, dirigibles and personal made flying machines flew in the air. The moment they saw Nemo, everyone waved and greeted him happily. Waving back, he smiled as he saw how happy they were. It seemed that after the catastrophe the kingdom had risen to new heights. As the dirigible landed, the professor came out, walking down the plank. As Bon Bon and Nemo followed, a group of people came immediately, shaking Nemo's hand, talking all at once. "Prince Nemo, it's so good to see you!" "Glad to have you back, Nemo!" "It's so wonderful that you've returned, Nemo!" Nemo smiled before Professor Genius looked at the crowd and nodded and they soon dispersed. As they walked to the Palace, Nemo turned to the Professor. "It's great to see that the people are doing so well." "All thanks to you, my dear boy. They're in your debt for how you saved Slumberland. Many of the citizens wanted you to return, but with so much going on, we didn't really have a chance to do it. So much has been done since you left." "Oh, yeah, what kind of thin-" "NEMO, MY BOY!" Looking up into the sky, a black shape came flying down through the sky, and jumping from it came a familiar face that only brought a grin to his face. "Flip! It's so good to see you!" Giving the clown a big hug, Flip took it for a second before brushing off his coat. Looking at the boy, he smiled and shook his head. "My, you've sprouted up! The last time I saw you, you were this little," he said, placing his hand close to the ground. Nemo had grown tall, and he now stood several inches over Flip. "How have you been, Flip?" "Oh, up to my usual ways. Having fun, causing some mischief and keeping Slumberland from being too boring, right professor?" Lighting up a cigar, he blew a haze of smoke into the professor's face, who began to wave it away, coughing. "Yes, too MUCH fun! I would've thought after helping us you would've changed your ways, but I guess I was asking for too much!" "Oh, don't be like that, professor! Would you really want your lives to be dull? I'm giving Slumberland a continuous enterprise of fun all for the price of nothing! You couldn't find a better deal than that!" Saddling over to Nemo, he placed an arm around the teenager, looking up at him. "So, Nemo, my boy, have you decided to take up my offer and return to becoming a prince of mischief?" Nemo chuckled before taking Flip's arm off of him. "Sorry, buddy, but I'm here on another matter." Flip smiled mischievously, a glint in his eye as he heard the words. "Ahh, so you're here for some new adventure! Well, seeing as how I helped you with getting into Nightmare Land, I think it's only fitting I help you!" "That will not happen," professor Genius said, getting a bit huffy. "We don't need your help, and if I remember correctly, wasn't it you that caused the ship to crash into the swamp?" "Details, details... You do know I am an adventurer myself, professor. I've seen many things beyond Slumberland with my pal Flap. As the large black bird came to the ground, she squawked happily. "We've been through thick and thin, fighting goblins and nightmares, barely surviving with the skin on our backs!" Nemo laughed heartily. He definitely hadn't changed, and he was glad to see that. Flip was the kind of person you would only find once in a lifetime. Looking around, he still didn't see the princess. "Where's the princess, professor?" Taking out his watch, he looked at it for a second before placing it back in his suit. "She's in the middle of a meeting with some of her advisers. King Morpheus is away on business and has left her in charge. Though, Nemo, let me tell you now. Camille doesn't know you're here. We didn't tell her about this because we thought it might interrupt with her daily duties." Nemo looked at the professor, shocked. "You mean to tell me you sent me here on a new mission, and the one person who I've been longing to see doesn't even know I'm coming? Professor, you're putting me in a tough spot! I thought Camille would've known about this!" "She will, Nemo. After the meeting is over, I'll go get her. In fact, I have to take care of several things right now. Just wait right here and I'll be back." As he left, Nemo felt butterflies in his stomach. She didn't even know he was coming. What was he going to say to her? What would she say to him? "I think I'm going to be sick..." Looking at Nemo, Flip lifted up the cigar to the boy. "Want to have a smoke?"